1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to a method, system and computer program product for optimizing performance in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product to ensure software quality through error checking and resolving failed input/output open calls.
2. Description of Related Art
Failure to ensure software quality can jeopardize a company's reputation, as well as cause significant profit loss. Poor software quality can be a result of poor error checking. For example, a software program accesses an external device, such as reading a hard disk, but fails to check the access request for errors. Since software today completes ample Input and Output (I/O) manipulations, an area of error checking that can increase software quality is failed I/O open calls. An example of an I/O open call is “open(x),” where “x” is a hardware device that the software code is accessing, or opening, so that subsequent software code can read data from the hardware device. If an I/O open call fails and subsequent software code uses the return value, or data, without properly handling error cases, the software code could have erratic or unintended behavior. Tools exist today that check for ignored return values. However, these tools only provide reporting mechanisms, but no resolutions.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method, system, and computer program product to ensure software quality through error checking and resolving failed Input/Output open calls.